Special Educational Needs and Disability
If your child or young person aged 0-25 years has a health or developmental condition that is impacting on their everyday life, this is often referred to as an additional need. This may have been present from birth or may have become more obvious as a child has developed.
Your child’s additional needs could be developmental, physical, learning, behavioural or sensory. Their needs might be easily met with a regular plan of care or a creative approach to their management. Some additional needs may continue throughout life and as a family there will be times you may require support from a number of services.
All children should have access to the right services, at the right time, to make sure they can reach their full potential. We work together with other agencies to ensure that the right professionals are involved at the right time to meet the needs of you and your child.
Please note
As an NHS organisation we have a duty to notify the Local Authority if we become aware a child or young person may have a special educational need.
Helpful guidance
The SEND Code of Practice 2014 and the Children and Families Act 2014 gives guidance to health and social care, education and local authorities to make sure that children and young people with SEND are properly supported.
If a child or young person that you care for (aged 0-25 years) needs extra health and education support, an application can be made for an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC) to your local council.
Working in partnership
Health organisations have responsibilities to work in partnership with education settings and local authorities, to support children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
To better support children and young people with SEND, their parents, carers and families, all local authorities have developed a Local Offer. The Local Offer brings together useful information across education, health and social care. It details information, advice and guidance and a range of local service providers who support children and young people with SEND, including our services provided by our Trust.